Electric conduit sectional outlet box



y 10, 1 2- H. K. MEERS ETAI'. 7,787

ELECTRIC CONDUIT SECTIONAL OUTLET BOX Filed May 26, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheei l I Inventor: George 0. Meek: Hen/1y K. Weeks A tlor ney y .932. H. K. MEEKS ET AL ,857,787 I ELECTRIC CONDUIT SEGTIONAL OUTLET BOX Filed May 26. 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet T108" 07: George 0. Necks f/enry K- Nee/rs ttorney Patented May 10, .1932

UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE m'a x. 'mnnxs am) eaonen 0. time, or secure, wasimre-ron anncrnrc commr'r snc'lrr'onanoumr 30x Application filed m, 1930. Serial no. 455,828.

lugs. Still further objects are to dispose the lugs and other connecting members on the-inside of the box units whereby they will not be anobstruction when installing the device,-

Other important objects of the'invention are to provide an outlet box that may be readily i line 12, 12- of Fig. 2 and showing another assembled in any size and capacity. to suit the particular local conditions, which ma be readily installed within a wall, and whic inay be quickly disjointed and removed from the wall without damage to the device or to the wall.

With the above and other objects in view which-will appear as the description\ roceeds, the invention consists of the novel construction, adaptation, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed. These objects are accomplished by devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings; wherein.:'

Figure 1 is 'a view in pers ective showin an outlet box comprising on y one unit an having a perforated plate secured thereto whereby thebox may be secured to a wall studding or the like;

Fig. 2 is a view-in perspective showing-a box made of two units;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view showing the offset overlapping top lugs and the pintle screw for uniting the box units;

Fig. 4' is a fragmentary view in vertical section showing the overlapping lugs and pintle screw connection for the bottom portion of thebox units;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail view in elevation of said lugs';

Fig. 6 is a detail view in perspective of one of the'end plates;

- tance form Fig. 7 is a w'ew in perspective showing a single box unit; 7

Fig. 8 is a view in transverse vertical section taken substantially on a broken line 8, 8 of Fig. 2 and showing the connection of two box units;

b Fig. 9 is a view in end elevation of the Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view in horizon tal'section taken on a broken line 10, 10 of Fig. 9 and showing a corner connection of an end plate;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary view in vertical section taken on a broken line 11, 11 of Fig. 2 and; showing a tongue locking detail for the upper portion of an end plate; and

Fig. 12 is a similar view taken on a broken "jectihi outwardly from its central to edge where y same may be secured to a wa l stud or the like. Two of the diagonally opposite cornersof the top edges of said upright walls are integrally provided with inwardly projecting lugs 9 which have depending fingers 10 .and the other two diagonally opposite corners are provided with inwardly projecting lugs 11 which are disposed be ow the first-named diagonally arranged lugs a dis-;

equal to their thicknesses or to the thickness of the upstanding walls from which said lugs are formed.

Verticall below each of the lugs .9 and at points w ere the slanting bottom ortions 6 of the box units join the upright si e walls 7 a lug 12 is formed by cutting inwardly and downwardly a portion of said bottom from the edge thereof and slightly bendin said portion downwardly or outwardly. ertically below each of the lugs 11 and at points corressonding with the lugs 12a lug 13 is by cutting inwardly and upwardly The lugs 12 and 13 project outwardly from the ends 14 of the box units or are ofiset therefrom a corresponding distance and are provided with slots '15 whose centers are aligned with the ends of said box units.-

Thus the lugs of different box unitsbeing oppositely offset and bent or deflected will overlap each other with their slots in alignment, as shown in Fig. 4, when the abutting ends of said units are placed together. The lugs 9 and 11 are correspondingly olfset an e ual distance whereby they too will overlap w en said box units are disposed in abutment and said lugs are provided with thread- I ed holes 16 which will register one with the other in the overlapped position.

In the abutting position of two box units I with the lugs 9 overlapping the lugs 11 and the lugs 13 overlapping the lugs 12 and with the slots 15 in registration and the holes 16 also in registration, a pintle 17 is inserted through said holes and slots with its short head end screw o'rtion 18 threaded into said holes and, in t isposition the depending fingers 10 of the lugs 9 will engage against the edges of the lugs 11 thus completing the connection between two of the box units. It

will also be noted that the top edges of the side walls 7 will be in alignment or in the same horizontal plane due. to the fact that the lugs 11 are dis osed below the lugs 9 a distance equal to t eir thicknesses. It will thus be seen that a strong connection is made between said box units and as many units may be likewise connected as desired.

End plates, designated as a whole by the numeral 19 and as shown in detail in Fig. 6, are adapted to be secured to the open ends of the box units. One side of said plates is provided with a hinge joint 20 and its slanting bottom edge portion is cut away, as at 21, to receive one of the lugs 13. When this side portion is installed in place to an end of a box unit said hinge will be in vertical alignment with said lug 13 and with the hole 16 in one of the lugs 11. A pintle 22, corresponding' in all respects with the pintles 17. is installed through said hinge joint and lugs to detachabl retain this portion of the end plate in ace.

The ot er side of the end plate 19 is cut away at its slanting bottom edge, as at 23, and a tongue 24 is provided on the edge at this cut-away portion that is adapted to fit into the slot 15 of one of the lugs 12 as shown in detail in Fig. 12. The top edge portion on this side of said end plate is also cut away, as at 25, to receive one of the lugs 9 and a tongue 26 is provided at said cut away portion that fits into the hole 16 of said lug, as shown in detail in Fig. 11, thus completing the means for securing said end plate to a box unit.

' In installing an end plate 19 on the open end of a box unit the tongues 24 and 26 are first inserted into the slot 15 and 'hole 16 respectively after which the hinge joint ortion 20 on the other side is swung into p ace and the pintle 22 is then inserted as will be understood. Said end plates are interchangeable and may be installed on either open end of the box units. An outlet box may comprise only one box unit as shown in Fig. 1, two of said units as shown in Fig. 2,

or as many units as desired and with an end plate installed on both open ends of the box as a whole.

The end plates 19 and the slanting bottom corner portions 6 of the box units are provided with the usual entries 27 for the electric conduits or wires. Said endplates may be provided with channel bars secured thereto in any suitable manner that are adapted to receive the laths of a Wall when installed and holes 29 may be provided in the flanges of said bars for nails or other fastenings. The I bottom flange of said bars may be cut away and the top flange seated on the laths when setting the box in an old wall. As shown means whereby they may be readily secured to and disconnected from said box units, thus providing as a whole a box which may be readily assembled and installed and which may also be readily disjointed and removed. In removing the box from a wall the front screws and pintles are first removed when the units may be disconnected or the end plates removed after which the units may be pulled out from the wall. Above all else it will be understood that the most useful feature of our device resides in the long pintles or bolts 17 and 22 extending from the front to the rear of the boxes. Although a box may be almost entirely imbedded in a wall the heads of these pintles or bolts are always accessible and with a screwdriver said pintles may be; readily removed and the box dismantledand removed without cutting or damaging the walL.

Thus another section may be added for another outlet and after enlarging the recess in the wall the entire box with the added section maybe installed. This feature, whereby a box may be removed and another section added without damage to the wall, is a prime importance in our invention.

Having thus described our invention, it being understood that minor changes in its construction and arrangement may be resorted to without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, what'we claim and desire "to secure by Letters Patent of the United States-is:-'

" 1. An electric conduit sectional outlet box having in combination one or more open end box units, ofi'set lugs for the front and bottom corners of said units adapted to overlap each other whenthe units are disposed'in abutting relation long pintles extending from the front to the rear of said units through said lugs, and end plates for said units.

2. An electric conduit sectional outlet box having in combination one or more open end box units comprising slanting corner rear portions and upright side walls, inwardly projecting offset lugs for the front corners of said walls, ofi'set lugs for the slanting corner rear portions of the units disposed in alignment with said front corner lugs, said front and rear lugs arranged to-overlap the lugs of adjoining units when disposed in abutting relation long pintles extending -from' the front to the rear of said units through said lugs, and end plates for said box units.

3; An electric conduit sectional outlet box having in combination a plurality of open end box units comprising slanting corner rear portions and upright side walls, inwa'rdly projecting ofi'set lugs for the front corners of said walls, oflset lugs forthe slanting cor-.

ner rear portions of the units disposed in alignment with said front corner lugs, the corresponding top and rearlugs of adjoining box units arranged to overlap each other when said units are disposed in aligned abut.- ting relation, pintles arranged to detachably connect the aligned lugsand extending from the front to. the rear of the box units, end

plates for the open ends-of said box units, said plates having ahinge joint on one side'edge adapted to register with the two disposed lugs, and a an of tongues for the opposite side edge 0? the end plate arranged to fit into the other two alignedlugs. M

In'testimony whereof I aflix my si ature.'

HENRY K. ME KS-J GEORGE O.-MEEKS. 

